Stop Acting Like What’s Happening to You Is Bad

Life is brutal, unfair, and unforgiving. This is the reality we mustn’t run from, but instead face head on. Just when you thought things were getting better life brusquely throws another curveball in your face you’re forced to contend with. This however doesn’t mean keeping a smile and trying to stay positive through it all, this will only make your true feelings worse and worsen the hardship. We must go through every unpleasant emotion we’re feeling, let them out, vent them, even utilize a creative outlet to help, in turn helping others at the same time. We can turn hardship into power & beauty.

Taylor’s version

Taylor Swift lost intellectual property control of her music a few years ago. This steep setback however didn’t mark the end of an era, she re-recorded her old albums marked by the infamous “Taylor’s version” ticker. Giving her renewed creative control of her songs & intellectual property rights. This only made her more commercially successful and critically acclaimed. Through a setback that may have seemed hopeless, Taylor’s example serves as a prime instance of the beneficiaries reaped from using the bricks life throws at us, and building a house. Marking hardship as catalyst for opportunity not only for personal growth, but success.

Never break the heart of an artist

Eleven months ago, I experienced a heartbreak like no other. I opened up my most vulnerable self and put my heart into the precarious hands of an individual I thought I could trust. However, they stepped on my heart, and smeared it against the pavement. I channeled this pain into what I like to call a Multi-media campaign. Which I define as the release of art through multiple forms of media centered around a theme. In this case, heartbreak, and the acronym NBTHOAA standing for never break the heart of an artist. This landed me magazine cover features, merchandise deals, & limited-edition sneakers with the theme. Even a renewed episode for my sitcom centered around the theme.

Personal growth

Hardship isn’t to be dreaded in life. Life is full of it, and will only increase, rather hardship is to be viewed as opportunity. In the initial spark it may seem bleak, however after the emotional intensity fades, the opportunity presents itself. Life is but a classroom and we must remain a humble student. You may make mistakes, big, small, enormous. But you’re human, and it’s what humans do, what matters is how you respond. That person who’s judging you, guess what? They’ve made just as much, if not more mistakes. A true leader owns up to their mistakes, learns, apologizes if they must, then moves on, the rest is out of their control.

What’s happening to you isn’t bad, it’s opportunity for learning & immense personal growth, even success.

No man is more unhappy than he who never faces adversity. For he is not permitted to prove himself.

-Seneca

Thanks for reading

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This post was previously published on medium.com.

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